Council OKs plan for Fort King living history park

Tuesday

Mar 5, 2013 at 8:58 PM

The Ocala City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a conceptual site plan for Phase 1 of the development of the Fort King site into a living history park as requested by the Fort King Heritage Association.

By Susan Latham CarrStaff writer

OCALA -- The Ocala City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a conceptual site plan for Phase 1 of the development of the Fort King site into a living history park as requested by the Fort King Heritage Association."We have a very, very rich history, a rich heritage," said former Ocala Police Chief Morrey Deen, who heads the volunteer, not-for-profit Fort King Heritage Association, which is spearheading the effort to develop the site where the Second Seminole War began.The land, which is jointly owned by the city of Ocala and Marion County, was granted a National Historic Landmark designation on Feb. 24, 2004 by then-Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton. The 37-acre site is located east of 36th Avenue on Southeast Fort King Street.Now that it has council's blessing, the FKHA will begin fundraising in order to proceed with the site improvements.Plans call for including a new entrance with signs and a security gate adjacent to the Daughters of the American Revolution's property. In addition, parking will be added. A docent station and restrooms will be developed and fencing and a cedar tree buffer along Southwest Fort King Street will be provided.The former McCall House that is currently on the property is envisioned as an interim visitor's center. And a spring-fed pond located on the property will be cleaned. Plans also call for ensuring that the site will be a home for native plants from the historic fort's time period.In addition, six trails will be built. A U-call system, which will allow visitors to use either a cell phone or an iPhone to access interpretive information and/or photos about the fort's history, will be added.The ultimate goal, which is not included in the Phase 1 conceptual plan approved on Tuesday, will include building a replica of the fort that originally was built in 1827. Deen said FKHA hopes to accomplish that goal in four or five years.Councilman John McLeod asked if the plan was to build the fort back as it stood on the site."We haven't decided on the scale," Deen said about the fort's replication.Volunteers will be used to make the fort's history come alive, he said.Deen suggested that developing Fort King as a living history park could help enhance Ocala as an eco-tourism destination."The history we have here is not just local. It's American history," Deen said. "Our wish is to bring this back to something our community can enjoy and get the benefit of."After the meeting, Deen said that plans are being developed to conduct mini-events on the property."We want this to be a true community project so everybody has an opportunity to be a part," Deen said.Contact Susan Latham Carr at 352-867-4156 or susan.carr@starbanner.com.